System and method of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document转让专利

申请号 : US14975939

文献号 : US09729744B2

文献日 :

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发明人 : Robert NguonJustin LundbergEric R. Swanson

申请人 : Hand Held Products, Inc.

摘要 :

A system of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises: a frequency specific reflective border on the document; an image capture device; a filter tuned to the frequency of the reflective border; a border detection algorithm; and a processor communicatively linked to the image capture device, to the notch filter, and to the border detection algorithm. The image capture device is configured to capture an image of the document. The processor is configured to apply the filter to the captured image and to produce a second frame. The processor is further configured to apply the border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask. The processor is further configured to apply the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.

权利要求 :

The invention claimed is:

1. A system of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document, comprising:a frequency specific reflective border on the document;an image capture device;a filter tuned to the frequency of the reflective border;a border detection algorithm;a processor communicatively linked to the image capture device, and to the filter;the image capture device being configured to capture an image of the document;the processor being configured to apply the filter to the captured image and to produce a second frame;the processor being further configured to apply the border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask; andthe processor being further configured to apply the border mask to the captured document image to produce a document image.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:image correction software communicatively linked to the processor;the processor being configured to apply the image correction software to the document image.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the image correction software is selected from Keystone correction, white balance, image distortion correction, image skew correction, image blur correction, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the frequency specific reflective border is printed with reflective ink.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the frequency specific reflective border reflects a frequency within the visible spectrum.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the frequency specific reflective border reflects a frequency outside of the visible spectrum.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is selected from a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, and a field programmable gate array.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter is selected from a bandpass filter and a notch filter.

9. A method for document capture with border detection, comprising:providing a border with a reflective specified frequency on a document to be captured;capturing an image of the document using an image capture device;applying a filter tuned to the frequency of the border to the captured image;producing a second frame after applying the filter;applying a border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask; andapplying the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:applying Keystone correction to the document image;applying white balance correction to the document image; andapplying image distortion corrections to the document image.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the applying a filter step is accomplished with a filter selected from a bandpass filter and a notch filter.

说明书 :

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to document image capture and edge detection issues involved with document image capture.

BACKGROUND

Generally speaking, a document captured against a noisy background often has trouble using image edge detection filters to accurately capture the document's full extent due to border recognition issues. For example, attempting to capture the image of a document on a background with lots of lines, for instance a wood grain desk, may have edge detection problems. Frequently lines in the background surface are falsely classified as document borders.

Therefore, a need exists for a reliable system and method of document image capture even when the document background is noisy.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention embraces a system of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document.

In an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises: a frequency specific reflective border on the document; an image capture device; a filter tuned to the frequency of the reflective border; a border detection algorithm; and a processor communicatively linked to the image capture device, to the notch filter, and to the border detection algorithm. The image capture device is configured to capture an image of the document. The processor is configured to apply the filter to the captured image and to produce a second frame. The processor is further configured to apply the border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask. The processor is further configured to apply the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.

In another exemplary embodiment, the system further is comprised of image correction software communicatively linked to the processor. The processor is configured to apply the image correction software to the document image.

In another exemplary embodiment of the system, the image correction software is selected from Keystone correction, white balance, image distortion correction, image skew correction, image blur correction, and combinations thereof.

In another exemplary embodiment of the system, the frequency specific reflective border is printed with reflective ink.

In another exemplary embodiment of the system, the frequency specific reflective border reflects a frequency within the visible spectrum.

In another exemplary embodiment of the system, the frequency specific reflective border reflects a frequency outside of the visible spectrum.

In another exemplary embodiment of the system, the processor may be a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, or a field programmable gate array, or the like.

In yet another exemplary embodiment of the system, the filter may be a bandpass filter or a notch filter.

In another aspect, the present invention embraces a method for document capture with border detection.

In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes the steps of: providing a border with a reflective specified frequency on a document to be captured; capturing an image of the document using an image capture device; applying a filter tuned to the frequency of the border to the captured image; producing a second frame after applying the filter; applying a border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask; and applying the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.

In another exemplary embodiment, the method further includes the steps of applying Keystone correction to the document image; applying white balance correction to the document image; and applying image distortion corrections to the document image.

In another exemplary embodiment of the method, the applying a filter step is accomplished with a bandpass filter or a notch filter.

The foregoing illustrative summary, as well as other exemplary objectives and/or advantages of the invention, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, are further explained within the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically depicts a document to be captured without a frequency-specific reflective border on a noisy background.

FIG. 2 schematically depicts the same document in Figure with a frequency-specific reflective border on the same noisy background.

FIG. 3 schematically depicts the second frame.

FIG. 4 schematically depicts the system in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 schematically depicts in a flowchart, the steps for carrying out the method of the system in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention embraces a system of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a document (22) is on a surface (20). The edge of the document (23) may blend in with the lines of the surface (20), making edge detection of the document (22) when processing a digital image difficult, especially depending on the particular surface the document resides.

Referring now to FIG. 2, in an exemplary embodiment, the document (22) resides on the same surface (20) as in FIG. 1. However, the document (22) is now provided with a frequency specific reflective border (24) on the document (22), within the edge (23) of the document. The frequency specific reflective border (24) may be printed with reflective ink. The frequency specific reflective border (24) may reflect a frequency within the visible spectrum, or alternatively, the frequency specific reflective border (24) may reflect a frequency outside of the visible spectrum.

In conjunction with the rest of the system, when an image capture device takes and image of the document (22) having the frequency specific reflective border (24), the frequency specific reflective border (24) will allow a processor associated with the image capture device to form a second frame using a filter tuned to the frequency of the frequency specific reflective border (24), as will be described in more detail hereinafter. FIG. 3 depicts the second frame (43), which is used in creating a border mask for the document image.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment, the system (10) is depicted. As discussed hereinabove, the system (10) includes the frequency specific reflective border (24) on the document (20). The system also includes an image capture device (30) and a processor (40). The processor (40) may be part of the image capture device (30) or otherwise communicatively linked to the image capture device (30), by a wireless communication or hardwired. The processor (40) has access to the image data (as shown in the Figure by an arrow) from the image capture device (30). The processor may be a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, a field programmable gate array, or the like.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 4, the system (10) also includes a filter (41) and a border detection algorithm (42). The filter (41) and border detection algorithm (42) are shown as being part of the processor (40), but this is not necessarily the case. The filter (41) and border detection algorithm (42) are controlled by the processor (40) with respect to image processing, but may be in a communicatively linked device.

The filter (41) is frequency tuned to the same frequency as the frequency specific reflective border (24) on the document (22). The filter may be a band pass filter, for example only passing light of a frequency greater than a pre-specified frequency. Preferably, the filter (41) is a notch filter, tuned to the frequency of the frequency specific reflective border (24).

The border detection algorithm (42) may be one of several known in the art for edge detection. For example, there are several standard image-processing techniques for finding the boundaries of objects within images. Most of these techniques work by detecting discontinuities in brightness. Edge detection is used for image segmentation and data extraction in areas such as image processing, computer vision, and machine vision. Common edge detection algorithms known in the art include the Sobel method, the Canny method, the Prewitt method, the Roberts method, fuzzy logic methods, and others known in the art.

The system (10) in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, is configured to operate as is described hereinafter. The image capture device (30) captures an image of a document (22) having a frequency specific reflective border (24). The captured image data (45) is available to the processor (40). The processor (40) is configured to apply the filter (41) to the image data (45) to produce a second from (43) (also shown in FIG. 3). The processor (40) is configured to then apply the border detection algorithm (42) to the second frame (43) which determines a document border mask (44). The processor (40) is further configured to apply the document border mask (44) to the original captured image data (45) to produce a document image (46). Thus producing an image of the document (22) which contains all the information in the document (22) because no ambiguities exist concerning the physical limits of the document due to the system (10) which was applied.

In another exemplary embodiment, the document image (46) is further processed by the processor (40) to perform any image correction necessary. For example, the processor (40) may be provided with software for Keystone correction, white balance correction, image distortion, image skew correction, image blur correction, and combinations thereof. The document image (46) is submitted to further image corrections (47) as controlled by the processor (40), finally producing a corrected final document image (48).

In another aspect, the invention embraces a method for document capture with border detection. Referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, the method (100) is comprised of the steps of: (102) providing a border with a reflective specified frequency on a document to be captured; (104) capturing an image of the document using an image capture device; (106) applying a filter tuned to the frequency of the border to the captured image; (108) producing a second frame after applying the filter; (110) applying a border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask; and (112) applying the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.

The method (100) is advantageously carried out by the system described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4. For example, method (100) steps (106) through (118) may be accomplished with a processor, which is communicatively linked to the image capture device of step (104).

In another exemplary embodiment, the method further includes the steps of (114) applying Keystone correction to the document image; (116) applying white balance correction to the document image; and (118) applying image distortion corrections to the document image.

In another exemplary embodiment of the method (100), the step of (106) applying a filter step is accomplished with a bandpass filter or a notch filter.

The foregoing exemplary embodiments of the method (100) may be conveniently carried out by the system discussed herein before in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4.

To supplement the present disclosure, this application incorporates entirely by reference the following commonly assigned patents, patent application publications, and patent applications:

In the specification and/or figures, typical embodiments of the invention have been disclosed. The present invention is not limited to such exemplary embodiments. The use of the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The figures are schematic representations and so are not necessarily drawn to scale. Unless otherwise noted, specific terms have been used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.